Post-hole digger.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

- -l/vl/ENTOH BYv ATTORNEYS y .PATENTED MAY 7, 1907..'

....111 :1MM .h m.

lNo. 853,010.

D. A. GRAY. A POST HOLE BIGGER. vA PI'LLGATION FILED 0CT.27. 1906.

w f ...MS

'PATBNTED MAY 7, 1907.

D. A. GRAY. Postr HOLE BIGGER; APPL-NATION FILED 0UT.27..1906.

z sHnsTs-'HEET 2.

E .EL

EbllIlDI-lllllll! l l Elli Afm/Mfrs -Iro in iggmg post holes; and the invention `conview of a machine embodying myinvention.

5 I the barrelv A and ysecnred by bolts B and the coupling, as shown in Fig. 2, mithin the top v4o with aV base ring a whose outer side is llush 1 To all whom it vvv/ay concerne Vcitizen of the United States, and a resident of Chattanooga, inv the county of Hamilton [and State of Tennessee, have invented ceri thus avoiding'i'riction between the auger and UNITED STATE-s PATENT orinon,

Vhavn; ALLEN-GRAY, or cnAr'rANooeA, TENNESSEE. c

POST-HOLE Disc-ien.

specification f Letters Patent.

Be it known that I, vDnvrr. ALLEN GRAY, a l

tain new and useful Improvements in Post- Hole Diggers, of which the ollowingis a@ specication. Q f

My invention is an improvement inldgg apparatus, especially designed for1 use sists 1n certain novel constructions and ,combinations of parts as' will be hereinafter del scribed and claimed; f

In the drawings Figure l lis a perspective Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal -section thereof, part'sbeing broken away. Fig., 3 isleJ detail perspective -view of the cutter, 3a af bottom plan view thereof, and `iFig.- 4 shows a somewhat dizfleient form-olf cutter from vo a' el The cap B is fitted on the upper end of top plate 2 of the cap B has a'centml openl,

ing through which lmain shaft C projects. l'

This top vplate 1?2 is made comparatively thick and the shaft()` has its upper .section connected at its. lower end with the upper i end offthe lower section preferably by screw i plate B2, so tlae'said top plate will .braoeg the coupling between the upper and lower sections of the main shaft, the casingA and the main shaft being preserved in such relation by the devices at the lowerend of the barrel A which will now be described.

At the lower end the barrel A is provided i with that othe body of the barrel' A and l whose inner diameter' is ,slightly less than the inner diameter of the barrel A so that the auger flights D on the lower section C of the main shaft lit at their lower ends within the l baserin andwill be spaced above the base ring slig tly apart from th' inner surface of the barrel lAiigrxthe operation of the machine,

" Application aan cette 231, 190e. serials. 340.846..

vention.

of the latter: The base ring is provi with a crossbar a in which journals the stem C2 at the lower end of the section C of the main shaft. This stern C2 projects below the' corssbar aand the cutter E is secured on such extension of the stem C2 by a clamping This cutter E being held below .the crossbar a and the auger lhghts bearing above the said' crossbar operate to prevent- Patented May 1907.

1 the body of the barrel throughout the'ulenitl independent endwise movement of the main shaft, and the casing A and sopreserve the parts in relation -to each other with the v,coupling between the sections of the main shaft within the A.opening in the top plate of thelcap TB, as ybest shown in Fig. 2 of the drawi's.l w I y "The`cutter E on the lowerl end of the main shaft and below the bar a has its main or bodportion E itting within the lower end f the base rin which projects elow the base ring a the iateral proj ectons or wings El which project below-'the basering and bear against the lower y edge thereof as the cutter is revolved by the devices presently described. 4This cutter and it be fedl up the barrel by the auger andidelivered out of the spout A2, as will be understood from Fi .-`.l and 2 of the drawings. y As shown inigs. 3 and 3a the cuttingportion e lof the cutter projects beyond the in thecut material up into the body of the' .casing The base ring a' is important as 'it takes the wear and can be readilyl'eaand hasatits'lower end may be a single cutter as yshown in F.ig. 4,- but is' preferably a double cutter, as shown in .-Figs and 3, the latter having the cutting edges e'which incline upwardly to direct the vcutinat'e'rial into the base ring c of the barrel upright feces of the body portion E and aids moved whenever desired besides forming an oiset within the barrel to relieve thetlights of the acier from fric-,tional contact with the body of t Ne casing in the `operation or the in- YVThe barrel or A is 'provided near its end with a sectional clam ing band F W sections are hinged together at Ff. at `the front of the casing and are connected in IDO rear of the casing by means of a bolt F?, as

best shown in Fi 5 of the drawings. The clam ing band F as a drop )ed portion {litting own below the spout A2 and this band is provided onl its opposite sides with projectng lugs F3 having vertical openings for the guide rods G along which the barrel A y slides in the operation of the. machine. These guide rods G are supported from the top frame H, shown in Fig. l, and which will'now be ydescribed. This top frame has vthe side;

bars H which ar'econnected bythe cros'sbar H2 and on these side lbars are mounted the stands H3 connected by the top bar H4', A,and one ofthesestands H3 is provided with bean;

ings H5 for the drive shaft Iwhichxmaybe'f .driven by a crank handleI .or "inany other suitable manner andis rovided with a bevel' gear I2 meshing with a evel inicial3 on the main shaft C. -Theinain sha t C has a cove. or `key-way If* and-the piiionyI'has a`v ey I5. i'tting in said groove I4 so ,'gt'hemain shaft may slide freely"throu htlie pinion 'I3 andyet will be turned-there yin the operation'of the machine. The main shaft is vjournaledk in the orossbar H2 of the top" frame and also in the top, bar .H4 of said frame 'andI is movable freely in a lbngitudinal direction through both said bearin s being held thereby in vertical osition in t e operation of the machine,

as wi l be understood from Fig. l of the drawings. The said bars H" of the top'frame are connected at their ends by bars 7i which brace and give steadiness to the top frame at its corners, as is desired.

The top frame H is mounted on legs or uprights J 'which are passed at their upper ends through openings in the top frame so they 'may be adjusted longitudinally therein and secured inl any sult'able adjustment by clamping screws 7L. 'These legs J of which I use two at each side of the machine, are

' adapted at their lower ends to-bear on the ground and form su ports for' connecting rods K one at each side of thel machine and bearing between their ends and between their respective 'legs J guide blocks L which vmay be adjusted'along their respective connecting rods K and secured in any suitable adjustment by clam ing screws L and are vprovided with uprig t openings L2 for the guide rods G of t ie casing A. The connecting rods K may be adjusted vertically along their supporting legs J andfsecured in any suitable adjustment. To this end I provide on the legs J joint blocks M through which the legs J pass sov the blocks may be adjusted up and downl on the legs and secured in any suitable adjustment by clamping screws M and these joint `blocks M are provided with lateral openings M through which the connecting rods K pass and are secured by the lclamping screws M3, as will be understood from Fig. 1. From this figure it will be j noticedthe connecting rods with their blocks L may be adjusted up and down on the legs J and held in yany suitable adjustment whereby to secure the guide blocks L in position Vfor abutment by the lugs G of the casing A to limit the downward movement of the said casing, and thus form a gage by which to regulate the depth of the holes dug by the machine in the use thereof. It will be un-= derstood that the-guide rods G may be-graduated or otherwise marked to indicate feet or 1ther measures so. the depth of the holes may be readily regulated as desired. Springs N bear between the. lugs F and the top frame and give a downward tension to the casing in the use of the machine. l

" 'In' yo eration thel connecting 'rods K being ,prefere ly setto regulate the depth of the -cut as'desired,the drive'shaft may be turned ythus operating to turn the cutter to form a hole'fof the desireddepth. The lugs Ft are provided with clamping screws F4 so that when desired the casing may be held up on the main shaft with the springs N under tensiornV I claim:v n 1 1.. Thecombination substantially as herein described ofthe top frame having vertical bearings for a main shaft, legs'ineans for securing 'the upper'e'nds of the legs adjustably to the top frame, connecting rods extending `betweenthe legs at the opposite sides ofthe machine, means for adjustablyconnecting thesaid connecting rods with their-respective Awithin which the coupling between the upper and lower sections of the :main shaft is fitted, a base rlng at the lower end of the main shaft and vhaving a crossbar, flights on the lower roo I section of the main shaft bearing above said crossbar, a cutteron the Ymain shaft below the' saidcrossbar, said flights and the cutter operating to prevent independent en dwise t movement of the main shaft and casing, and

a clamping band `on the casing and having lateral lugs 'fitting on the guide rods below the springs thereon, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth..

2. The combination in a machine substantially as described of a top frame, a main IIO shaft journaled therein, gearing within kthe l main top frame for driving the main shaft, said shaft being provided at its lower end with a cutter and above the same with con.-A veyer flights for lifting the cut material,l a casing encircling the lower portion of the4 main shaft and movable longitudinally therewith, guide rods connected with the top frame and along which the casing is movable longitudinally, springs for giving a downward ressure to the casingLlegs connected with t e top frame and connecting rods between the legs at the opposite side ofthe maing conveyer chine and having means for limiting the downward movement of the casing, substantially as set forth.

' 3. A'machine substantially as. described having a main shaft, a casing encircling. the

same, a base ring at the lower end of the casing and havin a crossbar, amain shaft havand having lateral .extensions or wings underlying the base ring, and means for operating the main shaft, substantially as set forth;

'- 4. The combination of'a casing, a capl fittin andhsecured on the upper end Athereofan having a Vtop alateral spout below the said cap, a main shaft having upper and lower'sections cou. pled within the opening lin the top plate of the cap, a cutter at the lower end of the main shaft, and flights on'said shaft above the said` cutter and within the easing, and means for.. v operatingl the main shaft, substantially as set l forth. x

5. \The combination nected therewith, a main shaft journaled in and movable vertically within the top frame and havingA at its lower end a cutter, and av conveyer flight above the san1e,-'a barrel or casing encircling the lower end of the main shaft and 4movable vertically therewith, means for o erating the main shaft,- guide devices for tli same may be moved vertically and be held. from turning, and means supported on the legs for limiting the longitudinal movementv i A y 'ghts above the crossbar, and a cutter on the main shaft below the crossbar plate provided with an opening for a main shaft, the casingv having l of a top frame, legs for supporting said frame/and adjustably .con-

e barrel or casing wherebyT the' A of the barrel or casing, substantially as de# scribed.

6. The combination' of a top frame, legs for supporting the same, a main shaft movable vertically within the top frame .and having a cutter at its lower end',a barrel or casingenl circling the'lo'wer portion of the main shaft and -movable longitudinally therewith, connecting rods' between the legs at the same side of the'maehine and limitmg the longitu` e dinal movement of the barrelor casing, and

means for securing the 'said connecting rods 'in different positions along their respective ,Y legs, substantially as set forth. e "1'.` The combination `with the topvframe and its legs, of a mainshaft, a barrel or-.casing encircling/the main shaft and movable longi-l l tudinally therewith, connecting rods between the legs at the same side of the machine, joint blocks adjustable vertically along the legs andhaving lateral openings within which the connecting rods are secured and clampingscrews for securing said blocks tothe legs and to the connecting rods, substantially as set DAVIE ALLEN GRAY.

Witnesses:

SoLoN C. lxEMoN,

PERRY B. TURPIN. 

